Military

Further Reading

Do essential things first. Each commander what is essential
and assign responsibilities for accomplishment. Nonessentials should
not take up time required for essentials.

General Bruce C. Clarke

This chapter addresses the procedures that battalion and companycommanders use to develop their units' METLs. It also describes thedevelopment of soldier, leader, and collective tasks and training objectives that support the METL's accomplishment. This chapter focuseson newly assigned commanders who are reviewing their METLs for the first time. It also addresses commanders who receive new wartime missions whichcause them to adjust their METL or develop a new METL.

Battle focus drives the METL development process. The METL is based onthe wartime mission; the unit must train as it plans to fight. Commanders develop METLs because units cannot obtain proficiency onevery possible task. The METL development process ( Figure 2-1) allows the commander to narrow the training requirements to an achievablenumber; it is the same for Active and Reserve Components.

Resource availability does not affect METL development. The METL is an
unconstrained statement of tasks required to accomplish wartime missions.

Wartime commanders must recognize the peacetime training limitations
faced by subordinates and tailor wartime missions within these practical
constraints. If a commander determines his unit cannot execute all the tasks
on the unit's METL to standard, he must request an adjustment of the unit's
mission. The commander determines which tasks he can train and execute.
He then negotiates with his wartime commander to ensure the mission
and METL are consistent. RC commanders coordinate with their first
wartime commander to ensure assigned missions are as specific as
possible; they coordinate with the peacetime chain of command for
training resources.

The METL is not prioritized. It may be changed or adjusted if wartime
missions change. Commanders reexamine the METL periodically to
ensure it still supports the wartime mission.

The METL must support and complement the METL of the next higher
headquarters and the supported wartime unit for CS and CSS units.
This is especially important for battalion and lower units assigned to
echelons above division; for example, a supply and services company,
general support. In addition, the METL--

Must be understood by the CSM and key NCOs so that they can
integrate soldier tasks.

Must apply to the entire unit.

May vary for like units because of different wartime missions or
locations.

Must be briefed to and approved by the next higher wartime
commander. Some RC units may be unable to conduct in-person briefings
to their higher wartime headquarters. In those cases, commanders must use
other means such as messages or mail to get their METL approved.

Other points concerning METL development follow:

Company is the lowest level unit that prepares a METL.

Battalion staffs develop staff METLs which are approved by the
battalion commander.

Battalion commanders must ensure staff, supporting slice, and
company METLs are properly coordinated and mutually supporting.

Commanders create a team approach to METL development by
involving all subordinate leaders.

Combat task organizations may be tailored as heavy, light, special
operations, or any combination to meet specific mission requirements.
When mission, enemy, terrain, troops, and time available (METT-T) dictate
changes in a force mix, such as heavy and light, commanders must
understand each unit's capabilities and limitations when reexamining the
METL. The same applies to joint and combined operations.

Commanders determine their units' METLs based on war plans and
external directives. War plans consist of the unit's anticipated
wartime missions, operations plans, and contingency plans. External
directives may include--

CAPSTONE mission guidance letters.

Mobilization plans.

Installation wartime transition and deployment plans.

Force integration plans.

The primary source for tasks is doctrinal manuals, such as FM 17-97 for a
regimental armored cavalry troop or FM 33-1 for a psychological operations
unit. At battalion and company levels, the applicable MTP is a good start
point for selecting collective tasks to support the mission. When no MTP
exists, leaders may develop task lists using the following sources:

The battalion commander follows this sequence in METL development. He--

Receives the brigade mission and METL and analyzes the mission to
identify specified and implied tasks. He also reviews war plans and other
external directives to help identify those tasks.

Restates the unit's wartime mission.

Determines and selects the tasks critical for wartime mission
accomplishment, which become the unit's METL.

Gets approval of the unit's METL from the commander.

Provides the approved METL to his staff and company
commanders.

Using the same procedures, the battalion staff and company commanders
select METL tasks which are approved by the battalion commander.

To illustrate METL development, the following paragraphs show the steps
the TF 1-77 commander used in developing his METL. The examples are
developed based on the division and brigade missions and METLs in
Appendix A.

BATTALION COMMANDER'S ANALYSIS

The TF 1-77 commander received the 1st Brigade's wartime mission, METL,
and war plans. He then--

Analyzed these documents and other external directives to identify
his specified and implied tasks.

Used the operation-to-collective task matrix found in ARTEP 71-2-MTP
to determine the collective tasks in support of the critical wartime
missions. These critical wartime operations are offensive, defensive,
retrograde, reconnaissance and security, and movement to contact.
Additionally, several tasks are annotated that were derived from the
battalion's war plans.

Logically compiled and sequenced these collective tasks as he
expected them to occur during execution of the unit's wartime mission.
A sample of the TF's collective tasks is at Figure 2-2.

The battalion commanders of CS and CSS battalions use the same analytical
process to determine their task lists. Sample CS and CSS task lists (not all
inclusive) for divisional CS and CSS units are at Figures 2-3 and 2-4. A
sample nondivisional MP battalion task list is at Figure 2-5.

At D-Day, H-Hour, TF 1-77 deploys by air and sea, draws equipment, moves
to and occupies designated assembly areas, and organizes for combat. On
order, moves to assigned sector to defend. Be prepared to counterattack. On
order, conduct offensive operations.

The TF commander analyzed the restated mission and selected from the task
list only those tasks essential to accomplish his unit's wartime mission.
These tasks make up his METL. Figure 2-6 shows a sample METL resulting
from TF 1-77 commander's wartime mission analysis.

The engineer, FSB, and MP battalion commanders used the same process as
the TF 1-77 commander to determine their mission essential tasks. Figures
2-7, 2-8, and 2-9 show sample METLs resulting from the engineer, FSB, and
MP commanders' analyses.

APPROVAL OF BATTALION METL

Once the METL is developed, the battalion commander briefs his next higher
wartime commander who approves the METL. For example,TF 1-77 commander
briefed the 1st Brigade commander; the divisional engineer battalion
commander briefed the division commander; and the FSB commander briefed
the division support command (DISCOM) commander. The corps MP battalion
commander briefed the MP brigade commander.

The TF 1-77 commander provided his restated wartime mission and approved
METL to his staff and company commanders. As depicted in TF 1-77 task
organization (Appendix A), Team A is a tank heavy subordinate unit of
TF 1-77.

Analyzed the TF commander's restated wartime mission and approved
METL. Using the same process, he identified his specified and implied
tasks.

Used the mission-to-collective task matrix found in ARTEP 71-1-MTP
to determine the collective tasks in support of critical wartime missions.
These critical wartime missions are Movement to Contact, Attack, Raid,
Ambush, Reconnaissance and Security, Defend, and Retrograde. He also
identified other tasks required to execute war plans.

Sequenced the collective tasks as he expected them to occur during
the execution of his wartime mission.

The company commanders of an engineer company and a supply company would
use the same analytical process to determine their task lists. Sample lists
of their collective tasks are at Figures 2-11 and 2-12.

The Team A commander then determined his restated wartime mission which
follows:

At D-Day, H-Hour, Team A deploys by air and sea, draws equipment, moves to
and occupies assembly area. On order, defends from assigned battle
position. On order, conducts a counterattack to defeat the enemy. Be
prepared to conduct offensive operations.

The Team A commander analyzed the restated mission and selected from the task
list only those tasks essential to accomplish his wartime mission. These
mission essential tasks make up his METL. Figure 2-13 shows a sample METL
resulting from Team A commander's wartime mission analysis. Figures 2-14 and
2-15 show sample METLs resulting from the engineer and supply company
commanders' analyses for their units.

APPROVAL OF COMPANY METL

After the company commander develops the METL, he briefs the battalion
commander. For example, the Team A commander briefed the TF 1-77
commander; the engineer company commander briefed the engineer battalion
commander; and the commander of the supply company briefed the FSB
commander. The battalion commander approves the company METL.

Tables of distribution and allowances (TDA) unit leaders must also develop a
battle focused METL that enables them to accomplish their assigned missions.
The METL development process is the same as for TO&E units. This
METL must reflect a task list derived by integrating required primary support
mission tasks with warfighting skills. These tasks range from wartime
mobilization requirements to support for disasters or local emergencies.

Some missions may not change for TDA units during wartime (soldier and
equipment support requirements for US Army Training and Doctrine Command
(TRADOC) schools and in support of recurring garrison or installation tasks).
For example, training battalions and companies would continue to train
soldiers and leaders. A sample TDA METL is at Figure 2-16.

Company is the lowest level to have a METL. The Team A commander gives to his
chain of command the mission and METL for accomplishing the company's wartime
mission.

SELECTION OF PLATOON AND SQUAD COLLECTIVE TASKS

From the company mission and METL, the platoon leader and PSG from 1st
Platoon, Team A, determined their collective tasks. They used the following
process:

Used the mission-to-collective task matrix found in ARTEP 7-8-MTP
to determine platoon collective tasks that support each company mission
essential task.

Determined which collective tasks support more than one company
mission essential task to identify high payoff tasks. For example,
Collective Task 7-3/4-1025, Move Tactically, is required for most company
mission essential tasks.

Presented selected platoon collective tasks to Team A commander to
obtain his guidance and approval. The Team A commander used mission, enemy,
terrain, troops, and time available (METT-T) analysis, resource
availability, and unit status analysis to select the most important platoon
tasks.

The 1st Platoon leader and PSG assisted the 2d Squad leader in determining
the squad collective tasks to accomplish the platoon collective tasks. They
used the same process as above to select these tasks. The 1st Platoon leader
approved the 2d Squad collective tasks. Sample lists of the 1st Platoon and
2d Squad's collective tasks are at Figure 2-17.

SELECTION OF LEADER AND SOLDIER TASKS

Leader and soldier tasks must be identified at the appropriate level to
support the accomplishment of the unit mission essential tasks.
Figure 2-18 identifies leaders that select, review, and
approve NCO leader and soldier tasks.

Leader tasks can be found in the appropriate soldier training publication
(STP), MQS, MTP, or SM. Figure 2-19 shows a small
sample of leader tasks for the infantry platoon leader and subordinate NCOs
from Team A. The company commander used ARTEP 7-8-MTP to
identify platoon leader tasks. The 1SG and key NCOs used STP 7-11M14-SM-TG
and STP 7-11B14-SM-TG to identify NCO leader tasks. Leaders must be
proficient on these and other specified leader tasks before conducting
collective training.

Train the trainer to train his soldiers.

CS and CSS leaders may have similar documents available. When no published
leader tasks exist, they must develop them using doctrinal manuals, other
proponent school publications, and common task manuals. For example,
STP 10-94B25-SM-TG provides CSS leader tasks for a food service NCO.
Some skill level 3 sample tasks from the STP are--

Establish layout of field feeding areas.

Supervise operation and maintenance of the
mobile kitchen trailer (MKT).

Supervise field kitchen sanitation operations.

Supervise personnel in cleaning and maintenance of field feeding
equipment.

Request and turn in subsistence.

Leaders must determine which subordinate leader tasks will be incorporated
into collective training.

Unit leaders select soldier tasks to support squad and platoon collective
tasks using the collective-to-soldier task matrix found in the appropriate
ARTEP MTPs. They do this for each skill level within the unit. An example
of skill level 1 tasks found in ARTEP 7-8-MTP which support the task Defend
in Team A is at Figure 2-20.

The CSM and key NCOs review and refine the supporting soldier tasks for each
skill level in every MOS within the unit. They pay particular attention to
low-density MOS tasks. Leader books are a valuable tool to track tasks for
which subordinates must be proficient. Information on the leader book is in
Appendix B.

All leaders and soldiers must perform applicable common tasks and military
occupational specialty (MOS)-specific tasks. There are 85 common tasks and
70 MOS-specific tasks in ARTEP 7-8-MTP. This list of 155 tasks will be
too large to reasonably sustain because of limited training time and other
resource restrictions. Leaders use battle focus to refine the list to mission
related tasks that are essential to thesoldier's duty position. This list of
leader and soldier tasks is analyzed to eliminate duplication. For example,
the squad leader and team leaders in a BFV squad first selected the
common tasks they determined as essential for all skill level 1 squad
members. Figure 2-21 is a sample of their common tasks.

The leaders next identified tasks essential to both the soldiers' duty
positions and to duty positions for which they are being cross trained.
Figure 2-22 (a and b)is a sample of tasks by soldier's positions.

The integration of soldier, leader, and collective tasks with the METL
mutually supports the unit's wartime mission. The relationship of essentialsoldier and leader tasks to squad and platoon collective tasks and the
company mission essential tasks for Team A is at Figure 2-23.

Another example of how soldier, leader, and collective tasks are integrated
into a CS company follows at Figures 2-24 through 2-26. The
engineer chain of command developed task lists using ARTEP 5-145-11-MTP
to support mission essential task Conduct Obstacle Reduction (Breaching)
Operations.

The battle staff consists of the battalion staff and battalion slice (CS and
CSS elements that are task-organized). Battalion staff and slice leaders
develop mission essential tasks that support the battalion METL. They
use the same process as the battalion and company commanders to
develop their METL. Battle staff mission essential task lists are
reviewed by the battalion executive officer and approved by the
battalion commander.

The battalion commander must ensure that the battle staff METL integrates
combined arms tasks which enable the battalion to fight as a combined arms
team. As additional assets are task-organized, they must be integrated into
the battle staff. The tasks of special staffs are incorporated into the
battle staff's METLs; for example, the chaplain and medical officers' tasks
with the S1's METL; the signal, chemical, and S3 air officers' tasks with the
S3's METL; the motor and support platoon officers' tasks with the S4's METL.
A sample list of battle staff mission essential task lists is found in
Figure 2-27.

After approving the battle staff's and companies' METLs, the battalion
commander selects from these METLS those tasks which the
accomplishment of is critical to the success of each battalion mission
essential task. These become the battalion's battle tasks. The selection
of these battle tasks allows the battalion commander to focus on those
tasks he wants to emphasize during training and evaluation. It also enables
him to allocate scarce resources, such as ammunition, fuel, training areas,
repair parts, and training aids, devices, simulators, and simulations
(TADSS). Battalion is the lowest level that has battle tasks.

A tool that the TF commander may use to organize his battle tasks is the
battlefield operating systems (BOS). The seven BOS are the
major functions which occur on the battlefield. The BOS must be synchronized
to ensure total combat power is coordinated and directed toward accomplishing
the wartime mission. The BOS are a tool and provide a process to evaluate and
assess performance. They may be used to identify operational deficiencies and
focus attention for training.

All BOS are not equal in all operations, nor do they apply for all tasks.
They also are not any end in themselves. Mission accomplishment and
overall unit performance are what count. BOS are listed in sequence as they
would appear in the five paragraph field order:

Intelligence.

Maneuver.

Fire support.

Mobility/countermobility/survivability.

Air defense.

Combat service support.

Command and control (C2).

SPECIALTY PLATOONS

The collective tasks of the battalion's specialty platoons directly support
the battalion METL. Specialty platoon tasks may be incorporated into
the headquarters and headquarters company (HHC) METL. If specialty platoon
tasks are in the HHC METL, they may be identified as battalion battle tasks.

Commanders must therefore pay special attention to training specialty platoon
collective tasks. For example, the success of the battalion's movement may
depend on the scout platoon's ability to conduct a route reconnaissance.
Additionally, the ability of the mortar platoon to rapidly bring indirect
fires on a moving enemy formation may be key to the success of a
battalion defense.

EXAMPLE BATTLE TASKS

Figure 2-29 shows the TF 1-77 commander's selection of battle tasks for the
battalion mission essential task Assault. The TF commander chooses tasks from
company and team METLs to support the battalion mission essential task
Assault. He bases his selection on his knowledge of the battalion's mission
and his concept of the operation, choosing those tasks he feels are most
important to the battalion's success. These become the battalion battle
tasks. Figure 2-29 also shows the relationship of soldier, leader, and
collective tasks, and METL to the battalion task.

CS and CSS battalion commanders have additional considerations which
make selecting battle tasks extremely difficult. The METLs of their
subordinate units must support their own battalion METL as well as the METLs
of supported units. The subordinate companies could also have diverse
missions within the battalion (such as medical, maintenance, and supply
companies within the FSB).

After identifying battalion and company METLs, supporting platoon and squad
collective tasks, and supporting soldier and leader tasks, leaders establish
supporting conditions and standards for each task. The resulting training
objective describes the desired outcome of a training activity.

Local conditions vary. Commanders must therefore modify conditions statements
to fit their training environments and assessments of their units' level of
proficiency. The goal is to create as realistic and demanding a training
environment as possible with the resources available.

To adapt a conditions statement, the commander should take the following
steps:

Read the existing MTP or SM statement. (It is deliberately general
because a more specific conditions statement may not apply to all units.)

Read the applicable references with suggested support requirements
and identify the resources needed to train the task.

Consider the local situation--ammunition available, OPFOR, time,
terrain, ranges, TADSS, and weather conditions.

Prepare a revised conditions statement. Conditions prescribed should
be realistic and practical. If conditions are considerably different from
those stated in the MTP, the commander must consider whether the standards
can be met or should be modified. Regardless, the conditions should be
adjusted so that the standards remain appropriate to the task.

The conditions statement will include comments on one or more of the
following:

Status and capability of threat forces.

Equipment, material, tools, or other resources allocated for use in
performing the task.

References, checklists, and other memory aids for use during actual
task performance.

The standards for most tasks may be found in applicable MTPs and SMs. These
standards for task performance are the minimum Army standards. For tasks
without published training objectives, the following documents will assist
in their development:

DA Pamphlet 350-38.

Deployment or mobilization plans.

General defense plans.

Army, major Army command (MACOM), and local regulations.

Local standing operating procedures (SOPs).

Equipment TMs and FMs.

CS and CSS unit commanders should structure daily operations so they
replicate how business will be conducted during war. For example, a
counterintelligence team from the military intelligence (MI) battalion
supports the brigade's operational security (OPSEC) program in garrison
through OPSEC awareness and vulnerability assessments; the FSB will routinely
have the maintenance support teams from the maintenance company operate with
supported unit's organic maintenance personnel. The following training
objectives are examples for battalion-through-soldier level which support the
TF 1-77 mission Defend (Figures 2-32 through 2-36). Figures 2-37
and 2-38 show training objectives for 1st FSB and Company A, 52d
Engineer Battalion.

The METL with supporting soldier, leader, and unit collective tasksprovides the foundation for the training plan. The battalion and companycommanders in concert with the CSM, first sergeants, and subordinate leadersare now ready to plan their units' training.